Agent asks for Jury's business

A local insurance agent is upset because the Morehouse Parish Police Jury will not change agents.Taylor Made Insurance owner Jimmy Davis spoke at the April jury meeting regarding him being allowed to become the agent for the municipality's insurance company, and was turned away by a vote of three to four.

The jury has used Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc., located in Monroe as their agent for over 15 years. The company is a broker for numerous insurance companies and at the present, has the jury placed with Traveler's Insurance, which is what Davis sells.

Davis, who has been in business for himself for a couple of years thinks that the jury should keep the tax payer's money in Morehouse Parish, rather than spend it in Monroe. But, Gallagher, who has been in business for 80 years, has a staff of 16 just in it's Monroe office and also has on-site legal council.

It is one of the world's largest insurance brokerage and risk management services firms, provides a full range of retail and wholesale property/casualty (P/C) brokerage and alternative risk transfer services globally, as well as employee benefit brokerage, consulting and actuarial services. Gallagher also offers claims and information management, risk control consulting and appraisal services to clients around the world.

Davis contends tax payer's money should stay here, but if the numbers are broke down, it would look like this:

Off of a $100,000 policy, Davis would make 10 to 12 percent or $10,000 to $12,000. Of that amount, he would pay income tax, not any sales tax to Morehouse.

Also, anytime a policy is sold to a resident of Morehouse Parish, the Police Jury makes a percentage each month from an insurance premium tax. So, regardless of who sells a policy, the jury still receives monies monthly.